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UVALDE, TEXAS
Uvalde County
Seat, Texas Hill
Country
29°12'52"N 99°47'23"W (29.214313, -99.789644)
US 90 and 83
State Highways 55, 117, and 140
65 miles W of San Antonio
40 miles E of Brackettville
72 miles E of Del
Rio
ZIP codes 78801-78802
Area code 830
Population: 16,001 Est. (2019)
15,751 (2010) 14,929 (2000) 14,729 (1990)
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History in
a Pecan Shell
The town was founded
by Reading W. Black in 1854. The name he chose for the new
town was Encina.
A monument to Black in the form of a huge petrified tree trunk sits
in the very spacious and under-used Pioneer Cemetery which
is the entire 500 block of N. Park Street.
A historical marker telling
the story of notorious King Fisher is also found here.
The flamboyant and handsome John King Fisher was a gunman turned lawman.
He occasionally protected the area against banditti from Mexico
- but it may have also been to protect his huge claim of land. Fisher
wore Leopard chaps - obtained legend says, when he shot a caged tiger
at a circus and paid the circus manager the going rate for leopards.
Fisher was shot in the staircase of a Vaudeville theater in San
Antonio with Ben Thompson, Austin's
Marshall. Both were slain by assassins before they could draw their
guns in the narrow stairwell. |
Fort
Inge, just one and a half miles south and
east of town, protected Uvalde's citizens from Indian raids. The county
was organized in 1856 and the following year they were granted a post
office.
The town and county were named after Juan de Ugalde, the former
Spanish Governor, but the name was corrupted with time into the current
spelling.
The population of Uvalde was 2,000 people in 1890 and in addition
to the East-West Railroad - shorter lines extended North and South
to Camp
Wood and Crystal
City. |
John
Nance Garner, Vice-President of the United
States under Roosevelt bequeathed his home for use as a museum and
is buried just west of town. Garner was famous for his fairness, his
outspoken manner and his crusty personality.
Garner loved this part of Texas. He was very good friends with fellow
Texan Sam
Rayburn of Bonham.
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Uvalde, Texas
Landmarks / Attractions
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The
Uvalde County Courthouse
Garner
State Park : 26 miles North of town off Hwy 83
Pioneer
Cemetery
Fort Inge
County Park on the Leona River -
site of former U.S. Cavalry outpost c. 1849.
For scenic
drive, continue onto Leakey,
take FM
337 to Vanderpool
to Lost
Maples Natural Area.
Aviation
Museum of Texas: Just East of Uvalde at the airport.
Garner Memorial
Museum: 333 N. Park St.
Grand Opera
House c. 1891:
Open Monday through Friday 9 to 3 for tours.
Fish Hatchery:
FM 481 South -
A Federal facility for warm water fish.
Uvalde
Hotels
Chamber
of Commerce: 300 E. Main St. Uvalde, TX
78801
830-278-3361 Website: www.uvalde.org
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Garner
Memorial Museum in Uvalde
TE photo |
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The Uvalde Grand Opera House c. 1891
TE photo |
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Founder's plaque
TE photo |
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One
of Uvalde's former citizens was brought home from Mexico for burial
TE photo |
Uvalde
High School.
TE photo |
Railroad bridge
on US 90 near Uvalde
TE photo, 2001 |
Uvalde
County 1907 postal map
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
Uvalde
County 1920s map
From Texas state map #10749
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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